what does machiavellian mean?

Answer 1

A person who follows the following concepts: Machiavellianism is primarily the term some social and personality psychologists use to describe a person's tendency to deceive and manipulate others for personal gain. The concept is named after Renaissance diplomat and writer Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote Il Principe (The Prince). (Machiavellianism can also refer to the doctrine Machiavelli established, although that is not the subject of this article.) In the 1960's Richard Christie and Florence L. Geis developed a test for measuring a person's level of Machiavellianism. This eventually became the MACH-IV test, a twenty-statement personality survey that is now the standard self-assessment tool of Machiavellianism. People scoring above 60 out of 100 on the MACH-IV are considered high Machs; that is, they endorsed statements such as, "Never tell anyone the real reason you did something unless it is useful to do so," (No. 1) but not ones like, "Most people are basically good and kind" (No. 4). People scoring below 60 out of 100 on the MACH-IV are considered low Machs; they tend to believe, "There is no excuse for lying to someone else," (No. 7) and, "Most people who get ahead in the world lead clean, moral lives" (No. 11).

Answer 2

Machiavellian means of Niccolo Machiavelli's credo IE the end justifies the means.
To be more specific, Machiavellian ideals dictate that, if you do not control people by fear (specifically for to be leaders, such as a Prince (the title of Niccolo's first book to upcoming ruler Lorenzo De Medici) about to become a king), they will cheat you...and thus you should aim to deceive and "out cheat" people on the road to power.
An example of a fair degree of Machiavellian ideal in action is Wal-Mart running small stores out of business, paying dangerously small wages and forcing the attitude of "us or nothing" rather than raising the standards. Same goes with Hilter trying to kill Jews justifying himself with the attitude of "but Germany is getting stronger (the end that is supposedly justified), isn't it?"

Answer 3

Niccolo Machievelli wrote about politics for 15th-16th century Italian aristocrats. His most famous work is "The Prince". Machievelli wrote The Prince as a political handbook for a ruling family in Italy in order to gain a job with them. He described what he believed was the best, most practical way to expand political powers.

He suggested that political power should not be held back by moral considerations or by long-held traditions. So if a lie or deception will help a person expand his influence or make others submit, then you should lie and deceive. If a friend obstructs your goals, then you should turn on your friend.

Essentially, Machievelli says politics is a game with winners and loosers and the idea that people should respect tradition or attempt to be "good" holds rulers back from attaining more political power.

Interestingly, Machievelli was not hired by the aritocrats and he was despised for writing the book and died poor and without respect.

Answer 4

Mach•i•a•vel•li•an

Pronunciation: (mak"ē-u-vel'ē-un), [key]
—adj.
1. of, like, or befitting Machiavelli.
2. being or acting in accordance with the principles of government analyzed in Machiavelli's The Prince, in which political expediency is placed above morality and the use of craft and deceit to maintain the authority and carry out the policies of a ruler is described.
3. characterized by subtle or unscrupulous cunning, deception, expediency, or dishonesty: He resorted to Machiavellian tactics in order to get ahead.

Answer 5

It means something that follows Machiavelli's political ideas. He was a renaissance Italian political/social theorist. In modern use it can be quite negative - implying underhanded, complex, devious, strategic, deceptive and cunning political manoeuvring.

Answer 6

like sneaky mean behaviour. lying and being dishonest. like umm... He had to resort to machiavellian in order to win. kinda like cheating i guess

Answer 7

Sneaky office politics.

Answer 8

anything to do to get the thing done.